Cultivator.



I. A. WEAVER.

GULTIVATOR. APPLICATION FILED JAN.18, 1909.

1,006,032, Patented 0ct.17,1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I.,A. WEAVER.

' CULTIVATOE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 18, 1909.

Patented Oct. 17,1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

19A. WEAVER.

GULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1909.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

4 BHEBTB-SHEBT 3.

I. A. WEAVER.

GULTIVATOR. Drum-131011 FILED 1111.18, 1909.

Patented Oct. 17,1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

1 \I w NW m n W I v gm w I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA. A. WEAVER, 0F SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO RAGINE-SATTLEYCOMPANY,

OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CULTIVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 18, 1909.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

Serial No. 472,974.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA A. WEAVER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCultivators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pivoted axle cultivators, its principal aim andobject being the production of a machine of this general character inwhich the axles may be swung forwardly and rearwardly as is required tomaintain the machines balance under different conditions, and may alsobe turned about other axes to effect the steering of the apparatuswithout at the same time tilting or inclining the carrying wheels on theaxle sections; in other words, without compelling the carrying wheels torun in an inclined position when pivoted or turned out of the directline of draft of the team. The carrying wheels in my improved and novelconstruction are always in substantially vertical planes regardless ofthe balancing swinging of the axle sections or of their turning duringthe steering operations. To

secure such result, in the preferred embodiment of the invention Ifulcrum pins on the cultivator frame and rockingly mount the axlesections on such pins, and I also provide means for maintaining thesepins in a substantially horizontal position throughout the entire rangeof swinging or turning of the axles. The fulcrums of these pins aredesirably located outside of the upright portions of the bent axles, andusually between such axles and the wheels, whereby, owing to theleverage secured, but comparatively slight effort or expenditure ofenergy is required to do the steering by means of stirrups secured tothe axles. Since these pins are always maintained in parallel relationto the cultivator frame, as by a cooperating track or socket casting onthe frame, and since these pins are always parallel to the portions ofthe axles on which the carrying wheels rotate, the wheels are maintainedin vertical planes regardless of the rearward or forward swinging of theaxle or the turning of the wheels during the steering.

The two gangs of shovels with which my improved cultivators are equippedare supplied with independent depth levers, looking dogs on whichcooperate with the notches of a pair of rotary segments to maintain thedesired depth or penetration of the earth. A single balancing leverconnected to the two axles is provided and is rigidwith the pair ofdepth lever segments, whereby when this balancing lever is rocked or ispermitted to be rocked by the rearward swinging of the axles, due to theanimal draft on the appliance, the gangs will be simultaneously liftedor elevated without disturbing their depth adjustment. In other words,the pull of the draft animals on the cultivator causes the raising ofthe gangs and the balancing of the machine. Of course, this balancelever is supplied with means for looking it in adjusted position, and toeffect the raising of the shovels and the relative backward movement ofthe axles and wheels, it is merely necessary to unlock this lever andpermit the team to do the rest.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Ihave illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, and throughoutthe various views of these drawings like characters refer to the sameparts.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my improvedcultivators with the gangs in lowered or working position; Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the gangs raised and the axles swung rearwardly tomaintain the balance of the ma chine; Fig. 3 is a perspective plan viewof the device; Fig. 4 is a vertical section adjacent to one of thesockets or tracks in which the roller on one of the pivoted pinstravels; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of themachine from beneath looking upwardly, one of the carrying wheels beingomitted to more clearly indicate the construction of the parts of thedevice; and Fig. 6 is a detail of the upper portion of the central partof the axle.

Referring to the drawings, it will be no- I flaring form, whichconstitute horizontal sockets or tracks 17 substantially parallel to theframe of the cultivator and each adapted to receive and accommodate aroller 18, on the inner end of a pin or short shaft 19, having on itsouter end a flat head pivoted or fulcrumed to the casting 16 on a bolt21, which permits this shaft 19 to be swung or rocked in a horizontalplane, that is, parallel to the frame of the machine, the plane ofmovement of this pin being determined by the track or socket casting 17.On these pins 19 inside of their heads 20 I rotatingly mount a pair ofcastings 22 each having an integral depending socket portion 23 in whichis secured the upper end of a bent or elbow axle section 24, on thelower lateral outward extension or arm 25 of which the carrying wheel 26is adapted to rotate. At the bend or angle of each of these axlesections I secure a casting 27 having a circular flange 28 forming partof the sand band of the wheel and also having an outwardly-extendedapertured arm 29, each of these castings 27 having fastened thereto aninwardly extended stirrup 30 and its supporting rod 31. As is shown, theaperture of the ear or arm 29 is substantially in alinement with the pinfulcrum bolt 21.

Each casting 22 has an integral forwardlyprojecting arm 32 bifurcated atits forward end at 33, and between the fingers of such bifurcated end Ipivot on a bolt 34 a casting 35 having an inwardly-extended cylindricalsocket 36. A transverse spread-arch rod 37 fits in the pair of socketsat its opposite ends and is a-djustably maintained therein by theset-screws 38-. At the center of this rod the spread orwidth-controlling lever 39 is fulcrumed above a notched segment 4O withwhich a locking-dog (not shown on the lever) coeperates to maintain thelever in any desired adjusted position. On this rod 37 I provide a pairof slides 41 reciprocable on the rod and connected by a pair of links 42with portions of the lever 39 on opposite sides of its fulcrum, wherebyswinging of the lever will simultaneously move the slides inwardlytoward one another or outwardly away from one another. Each of theseslides has an integral depending ear 43 fastened to which, by one ormore bolts 44, is a depending bar 45 forming a part of the spread-arch,the lower ends of these bars, as is customary, passing through aperturesin plates 46 secured to the beams 47 of the gangs of shovels 48. As isusual in constructions of this kind, the beams or bars 47 are connectedat their front ends to the socket fulcrum castings 49 mounted on thelower ends or legs of the coupling-arch 50, such castings permittingupward swing-fir of the beams and gangs.

On one of the bars 14, the distant one in Fig. 5, I fixedly mount abearing 51 in which a rock-shaft 52 is adapted to turn, this shafthaving a bearing at the other side of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 5,in a portion 53 of a stationary notched segment 54 fixedly secured, asby one or more bolts 55, to the companion frame bar 14. The balancelever or handle 56, equipped with a locking dog 57 co-acting with thenotches of segment 54, is fastened to the shaft 52, whereby they turntogether or simultaneously. At each end of shaft 52 outside of the frameI fixedly fasten to the shaft a depth notched segment 58 provided with aplurality of spaced apertures 59. A rigid link 60 connects each depthsegment 58 with the apertured ear 29 of the corresponding casting 27,the link preferably having bent ends to pass through the hole of the earand any one of the three holes 59 of the segment, as is required tosecure a proper balance of the machine, which depends to some extentupon the weight of the rider or operator. On the shaft 52, just insideof each of the depth segments 58, I loosely and rotatably mount a depthlever 61 supplied with a manually-controlled locking dog or pawl 62which is adapted to enter any one of the notches of the segment. As willbe observed from the drawings, each of these levers extends below theshaft 52 and is loosely connected to its corresponding gang by a rod 63projecting through an aperture in the plate 46 of the gang beam or bar47, cotter pins or the like 64 being passed transversely through the rodbelow the plate 46 and at the upper end of a coil compression spring 65disposed between the upper pin 64 and the top of the plate 46 andserving to yieldingly maintain the shovels of the gangs in the earth. Toassist in the manipulation of these independent depth levers I connect acoil spring 66 at its rear end to each of the levers, the spring beingjoined to any suitable portion of the frame at its front end, as isclearly indicated in Fig. 1.

The operation of this improved cultivator is practically as follows:Assuming that the operator desires to raise both gangs and at the sametime maintain the balance of the machine, it being understood that thedepth or penetration of the shovels of the two gangs may beindependently adjusted by manipulation of the depth levers 61, he merelyreleases the balance lever 56 by withdrawing its locking-dog 57 from thenotch of the balance segment 54, whereupon the draft of the team causesthe rearward swinging of the axle sections 20 on their supporting pins19, the wheels of course moving with the axle sections. Due to suchmovement of the axles and the connections through the rod 60 between thesame and the segments 58, which, it will be remembered, are rigidlyfixed to the shaft 52, this shaft, together with its pair of depthseglit) ments and the depth levers 61 locked thereto, is rocked in itsbearings so as to raise the gangs by means of the connecting rods 63.When the parts have assumed their proper positions and relations thelocking dog 57 of the balance lever 56 is permitted to enter the propernotch of its cooperating stationary segment 5 f. It should be noticedthat both gangs are raised by the pull of the team by merely releasingthe balance lever 56 and permitting it, the shaft 52, and the partsfixed thereto to rock, this elevation of the gangs being accomplishedwithout disturbing their individual independent depth adjustments, whichof course, as explained above, can be readily modified at any time byshifting the levers 61. It should be noted in addition that the rods 60determine the position of the axle sect-ions and prevent them fromshifting or swinging out of such positions as long as the balance lever56 is locked to its segment. WVhen the operator wishes to steer themachine to one side or the other he presses his foot upon one or theother of the pair of stirrups or foot pieces 30, rocking or turning thecorresponding axle section around its fulcrum bolt 21, which through theconnecting spread arch 37 turns the opposite wheel in the same direction and to the same extent, whereby he is enabled to steer themachine out of the direct line of draft so as to avoid any 0bstacles.Owing to the connections between the spread-arch rod 37 and the pair ofgangs, the beams will be shifted to either side simultaneously with thepivoting or lateral turning of the wheels, thereby carrying the beamsover automatically in the direction toward which the wheels are pivotedor turned, thus considerably increasing the range and spread of thedodge. Since the connections of the rods 60 with the axle sections aredirectly in line with the pivot bolts 21, such turning of the axles andwheels does not influence or move these rods, and in this connection itshould be noted that since the pivot bolts 21 are disposed outside ofthe upright portions of the bent axles they are much-nearer the wheelsthan in the old forms of this device, which construction permits theturning of the wheels to effect the steering operation with butcomparatively slight effort on the part of the operator, due to theconsiderable leverage which he secures because of this arrangement ofthe pivot bolt close to the wheel. During such pivoting of the wheels,the latter are constantly maintained in their proper vertical planes,owing to the cooperation of the roller 18 of shaft 19 with the socketcasing or track casting 16 which acts to keep the pin 19 always insubstantially parallel relation to the frame, and since this pin isalways parallel to the part 25 of the axle carrying the wheel thisoutward extension 25 is likewise maintained in a horizontal plane andits wheel in a vertical plane wholly regardless of the inclination whichthe upright portion of the axle section may have during the wheelturning or pivoting operation.

A feature of novelty and improvement in my machine which is not found inother devices is the swinging or rocking of the balance lever toward theoperator when the gangs are raised and the axles shifted, whichdirection of movement of the lever enables the rider to readily assistin the shifting of the parts if he so desires by pulling the levertoward him instead of pushing it from him as is required in machines ofthe old form and type.

Whereas I have herein set forth considerably in detail the variousstructural features of the parts of my improved mechanism, it is to beunderstood that the inven tion is not of limited scope and is notrestricted to the precise features of construction outlined, since theelements of the cultivator may be modified to a considerable extentwithout departure from the substance of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle, the combination of a frame, a pair of axles each havingan upright portion and a lateral part, means connecting said axlestogether, a carrying wheel rotatable on the lateral part of each of saidaxles, a mounting for each of said axles on said frame permitting theaxles to turn about axes at one side of those of their upright portionsand permitting swinging of the axles forwardly and rearwardly, and meanswhereby said axles may be turned to steer the vehicle, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a vehicle, the combination of a frame, a pair of axles each havingan upright portion and a lateral part, means connecting said axlestogether, a carrying wheel rotatable on the lateral part of each of saidaxles, a mounting for each of said axles on said frame permitting theaxles to turn about axes located outside those of their upright portionsand permitting swinging of the axles forwardly and rearwardly, and meanswhereby said axles may be turned to steer the vehicle, substantially asdescribed.

3. Ina cultivator of the character described, the combination of aframe, one or more shovels, means whereby said shovels may be raised andlowered, a pair of bent axles each having an upright port-ion and alateral part, means connecting said axles together, a carrying wheelrotatable on the lateral part of each of said axles, a mounting for eachof said axles on said frame permitting swinging of the axles forwardlyand rearwardly and permitting turning of the axles about axes locatedoutside those of their upright portions, means to turn said axles aboutsuch outside axes, whereby the machine may be balanced when the shovelsare raised and may also be steered, substantially as described.

4. In a cultivator of the character described, the combination of aframe, one or more shovels, means whereby said shovels may be raised andlowered, a pair of bent axles each having an upright portion and alateral part, means connecting said axles together, a carrying wheelrotatable on the lateral part of each of said axles, a mounting for eachof said axles on said frame permitting swinging of the axles forwardlyand rearwardly to balance the machine, means whereby said axles andwheels may be pivoted or turned about axes at one side of said uprightportions to efiect steering of the machine, and means to maintain saidlateral portions of the axles in a substantially horizontal planeregardless of the balancing adjustment of the axles and wheels or thesteering, substantially as described.

5. In a cultivator of the character described, the combination of aframe, one or more shovels, means whereby said shovels may be raised andlowered, a pair of bent axles each having an upright portion and alateral part, means connecting said axles together, a carrying wheelrotatable on the lateral part of each of said axles, a mounting for eachof said axles on said frame permitting swinging of the axles forwardlyand rearwardly and permitting turning of the axles about axes locatedoutside those of their upright portions, means whereby said axles andwheels may be turned about said outside axes, and means to maintain thelateral portions of said axles in substantially horizontal planesregardless of the balancing adjustment of the axles and wheels or theirturning about said outside axes during the steering operation,substantially as described.

6. In a cultivator of the character described, the combination of aframe, a pin fulcrumed thereon, means to determine the path of travel ofsaid pin during its rota tion about its fulcrum, a bent axle rockinglymounted on said pin, a wheel rotatable on said axle, and means wherebysaid axle, wheel, and pin may be swung on the fulcrum of the latter tosteer the wheel, sub stantially as described.

7 In a cultivator of the character de scribed, the combination of aframe, a bent axle having an upright portion and a lateral part, a wheelrotatable on the lateral part of said axle, a pin fulcrumed on saidframe outside of the axis of the upright portion of said wheel, means tomaintain said pin during its turning 011 its fulcrum in a definiteplane, means rockingly mounting said axle on said pin, and means wherebythe axle, wheel, and pin may be swung on the fulcrum of the latter toeffect the steering, substantially as described.

8. In a cultivator of the character described, the combination of aframe, a pin fulcrumed thereon, a roller on said pin, a track with whichsaid roller cooperates mounted on said frame, said track and rollerdetermining the path of travel of said pin during its rotation about itsfulcrum, a bent axle rockingly mounted on said pin, a wheel rotatable onsaid axle, and means whereby the axle, wheel, and pin may be swung onthe fulcrum of the latter to effect the steering, substantially asdescribed.

9. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, an axle swinginglymounted on said frames, a carrying wheel 011 said axle, shovels, a rockshaft, a depth lever mounted on said rock shaft and connected to saidshovels, a balance lever fixed on said rock shaft, means adjustablyconnecting said balance lever to said axle and to said depth lever, andmeans to lock said balance lever in adjusted position whereby when saidbalance lever is unlocked the draft on the machine causes the wheel andaxle to swing rearwardly and the shovels to be raised, substantially asdescribed.

10. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, a pair of axlesswingingly mounted on said frame, a carrying wheel on each of saidaxles, two gangs of shovels, a rock shaft, independently adjustabledepth levers loosely mounted on said rock shaft and connected to each ofsaid gangs of shovels, a balance lever, connections between said balancewheel and said axles, connections between said balance lever and saiddepth levers, and means to lock said balance lever in adjusted positionwhereby when said lever is unlocked the draft on the machine causes thewheels and axles to swing rearwardly and both gangs of shovels to beraised without disturbing their depth adjustment, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, an axle swinginglymounted on said frame and adapted to be swung forwardly and rearwardlyto balance the machine, means whereby said axle may be turned aboutanother axis to effect the steering, a carrying wheel adapted to rotateon said axle, shovels, a depth lever mounted on said rock shaft andconnected to said shovels and adapted to raise and lower the same, abalance handle fixed on said rock shaft and connected to said axle, andmeans to lock said balance handle in adjusted position, whereby whensaid latter handle is unlocked the draft on the machine causes the wheeland axle to swing rearwardly to balance the machine and also causes theshovels to be raised, substantially as described.

12. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, an axle swinginglymounted on said frame and adapted to be swung forwardly and rearwardlyto balance the machine and also around another axis other than its ownto steer the machine, means whereby said axle may be swung about thesteering axis, a carrying wheel adapted to rotate on said axle, shovels,an adjustable depth lever connected to said shovels and adapted to raiseand lower the same, a balance handle connected to said axleconcentrically with the steering axis of the latter and also connectedto said depth lever and means to lock said balance handle in adjustedposition, whereby when said handle is unlocked the draft on the machinecauses the wheel and axle to swing rearwardly and the shovels to beraised, the swinging of said axle and wheel about the steering axis notdisturbing the connection between the balance handle and the axle,substantially as described.

13. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, a pair of bent axlesswingingly mounted on said frame and adapted to be swung forwardly andrearwardly to balance the machine and also around axes other than theirown to steer the machine, means connecting said axles together, meanswhereby said axles may be swung about their steering axes, a carryingwheel adapted to rotate on each of said axles, shovels, an adjustabledepth lever connected to said shovels and adapted to raise and lower thesame, a balance handle connected to both of said axles concentricallywith their steering axes and also connected to said depth lever, andmeans to lock said balance handle in adjusted position, whereby whensaid balance handle is unlocked the draft on the machine causes thewheels and axles to swing rearwardly to maintain the machines balanceand also causes the shovels to be raised, substantially as described.

14. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, an axle rockinglymounted on said frame and adapted to be swung forwardly and rearwardlyto balance the machine, a carrying wheel rotatable on said axle,shovels, a depth lever fulcrumed on said frame, means to connect saiddepth lever to said shovels, a rotary notched depth seg ment, a lockingdog on said depth lever coacting with said segment to lock said lever inadjusted position, a balance handle rigid with said segment, meansconnecting said handle and segment to said axle, and means to lock saidbalance handle in adjusted position, whereby when said handle isunlocked the draft of the team will cause the axle to swing rearwardly,and because of the move ment of said segment and depth lever the shovelswill be also raised, substantially as described.

15. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, a pair of axlesrockingly mounted on said frame andadapted to be swung forwardly andrearwardly to balance the machine, carrying wheels rotatable on saidaxles, two gangs of shovels, a pair of inde pendent depth leversfulcrumed on said frame, means connecting each of said depth levers toits gang of shovels, a pair of rotary notched depth segments rigidlyconnected together, a locking dog on each of said depth levers co-actingwith one of said segments to lock said lever in adjusted position, abalancing handle rigid with both of said segments, means connecting saidhandle and segments to said axles, and means to lock said balancinghandle in adjusted position, whereby when said handle is unlocked thedraft of the team will causethe axles to swing rearwardly and because ofthe movement of said segments and depth levers both gangs of shovelswill be raised, substantially as described.

16. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, a pair of bent axleseach having an upright portion and a lateral part, mountings for saidaxles on said frame permitting the axles to swing forwardly andrearwardly to balance the machine and permiting them to be swung aboutaxes other than those of their upright portions to effect the steeringof the machine, means connecting said axles together, a carrying wheelrotatable on the lateral part of each of said axles, means whereby saidaxles and wheels may be turned about their steering axes, two gangs ofshovels, a pair of independent depth levers fulcrumed on said frame,means connecting each of said depth levers to its gang of shovels, apair of rotary notched depth segments rigidly connected together, alocking dog on each of said depth levers co-acting with one of saidsegments to lock its lever in adjusted position, a balancing handlerigid with both of said segments, means connecting said handle andsegments to said axles, and means to lock said balancing handle inadjusted position, whereby the wheels may be turned to steer thecultivator, and when said handle is unlocked the draft of the team willcause the axles to swing rearwardly to maintain the machines, balance,and because of the movement of said segments and depth levers due tosuch rearward swinging of the axles both gangs of shovels will beraised,

swinging about their fulcrums, means whereby said axles and pins may beswung about the fulcrums ofthe latter to steer the machine, meansconnecting said axles together, carrying wheels rotatable on said axles,two gangs of shovels, a pair of inclependent depth levers fulcrumed onsaid frame, means connecting said depth levers to the gangs of shovels,a pair of rotary notched segments rigid with one another, a locking dogon each of said depth levers coacting with one of said segments to lockthe lever in adjusted position, a balancing handle rigid with both ofsaid segments, means connecting said handle and segments to both of saidaxles, and means to lock said balancing handle in adjusted position,whereby when the handle is unlocked the draft of the team will cause theaxles to swing rearwardly, and because of such movement the segments anddepth levers will be rocked to raise the shovels, and whereby the axlesand wheels may be pivoted or turned to effect the steering of themachine, the Wheels being disposed in vertical planes in all positionsof the parts, substantially as described.

18. In a cultivator, the combination of a frame, a seat, carrying wheelsfor said frame swingingly mounted thereon, whereby they may be shiftedto maintain the cultivato-rs balance, two gangs of' shovels, a rockshaft mounted on said frame, independent depth adjusting means for saidgangs mounted on said rock shaft, and 'a single balance handle fixed onsaid rock shaft and connected to said wheels and depth adjusting meansand adapted to raise the shovels and balance the machine with outdisturbing the depth adjustment of the gangs, said handle being movabletoward an operator in the seat when the shovels are being raised and thewheels moved to balance the machine, substantially as described.

IRA A. WEAVER.

Witnesses H. E. JABUseH, B. G. RICHARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.

